Central America

Guatemalan suspect wanted for human smuggling network that transported 20,000 migrants

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala has called for public assistance on social media to find and capture a Guatemalan man suspected of being involved in a human smuggling ring that transported 20,000 migrants to the United States. This comes as President Donald Trump continues his crackdown on irregular migration.

Helmer Obispo Hernández, who “is believed to be in Guatemala,” is accused of being “part of a people smuggling network,” the embassy stated on social media platform X, providing a link to report “any information about” the man.

Hernández, 41, is a “lieutenant” in the “criminal organization” led by Guatemalan Eduardo Renoj, who was arrested a few days ago in California, according to U.S. authorities.

Renoj is accused of leading “one of the largest human smuggling organizations in the U.S.,” the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles said in a statement on Monday.

Along with Renoj, 49-year-old Cristóbal Mejía, his “alleged right-hand man,” was also arrested.

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Migrants smuggled from Guatemala reportedly paid between $15,000 and $18,000 to the ring, the embassy said.

Renoj’s organization is linked to a 2023 traffic accident in Oklahoma that resulted in seven deaths, including a four-year-old child. The driver of the vehicle involved is in custody.

“Identifying and dismantling these organizations makes our borders safer and creates a stronger and more prosperous region,” the U.S. embassy stated.

Guatemalan authorities have not provided any updates on Obispo as of now.

Like much of Central America, Guatemala was part of the route used by thousands of migrants to reach the United States, which has tightened its immigration policies since Trump returned to the presidency in January.

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In recent weeks, there has been a reverse trend of migrants heading south through Central America after abandoning their plans to reach the U.S. due to fears of being deported.

Central America

Guatemala’s Legal Chief Shot Dead in Parking Lot: Investigation Underway

The legal chief of the Guatemalan Congress, Hansel Szaraeta, was killed on Saturday in a targeted shooting at a luxury shopping mall parking lot in the capital of the Central American country.

Szaraeta, 35, was found dead this morning next to his vehicle in one of the parking lots of the Cayalá shopping center, located in an exclusive area of Guatemala City, according to the National Civil Police.

According to the preliminary investigation by the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office), the congressional employee was about to leave in his vehicle when an unidentified person shot him in the chest, causing his death. At the scene, 11 gun shells were found.

The President of Congress, Nery Ramos, expressed his condolences for the murder of the legal chief of the organization he leads through a statement posted on his official X account. The Prosecutor’s Office told EFE that the first investigative steps included reviewing the parking lot security cameras and taking testimonies from people who were present at the scene.

In the first two months of 2025, the Guatemalan National Civil Police registered 504 homicides, representing a 31% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

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Central America

Panama’s former president Martinelli claims political enemies tried to kill him

Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli claimed on Friday that his political enemies intended to kill him once he departed for Nicaragua. Martinelli has been sheltering in Nicaragua’s embassy in Panama City for over a year to evade a money laundering conviction.

“They wanted to kill me,” Martinelli stated in a social media post, without specifying who he was referring to. His remarks came after the safe-conduct pass granted by the Panamanian government for his travel to Managua expired at midnight on Thursday.

In a statement, Panama’s Foreign Ministry announced that the permit had expired without Nicaragua officially agreeing to receive the former president. According to Martinelli, Nicaraguan authorities reconsidered the transfer, suspecting it was an “ambush” or a “trap.”

“It was a vile trap they were trying to set up. On one hand, they pretended to offer me a way out, but on the other, they wanted to ruin me by inventing all sorts of accusations,” Martinelli added, thanking Nicaragua and confirming that he will remain in asylum.

Central America

Guatemalan police officer killed in mob riots over baby kidnapping

A police officer was killed during riots provoked by an enraged mob in a Guatemalan town following the kidnapping of a baby, the government reported on Wednesday.

The incidents began on Tuesday night and continued into the early hours of Wednesday in the town of San Vicente Pacaya, about 25 km south of the capital, according to Minister of the Interior Francisco Jiménez.

“There was an incident in San Vicente Pacaya where, unfortunately, a police officer died after being struck in the head with a stone. He passed away this morning,” Jiménez said in a press conference.

He explained that the unrest erupted following the arrest of two suspects in connection with the kidnapping of “a baby just a few months old,” including a woman with a criminal record.